


My little lion

by ShinigamiSlingby



Series: Learning Steps (single parent AU) [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Mentions of child flashbacks, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2018-12-12 19:19:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11743482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinigamiSlingby/pseuds/ShinigamiSlingby
Summary: When Gilbert, Elizaveta, and Roderich adopted their first child, they never expected to get closer. But, for the child's sake, it had to be done.The chapters may be short but there will be many so don't worry





	1. Chapter 1

Day 3. The screaming had started again- this was commonplace with the young boy by now. Gilbert ran to his son's side, Roderich soon followed.  
"Please, not again!" the young boy screamed, still half asleep. Tears cascaded from his tightly closed eyes. Gilbert wrapped his arms around Aldrich, resting his chin on the boys head as he shaked violently.  
"It's ok my lion, we are here now." Gilbert whispered to his son rocking him gently. Aldrich hit out against his father; although this wasn't meant in anger, Aldrich sobbed for his father. He has just woken up fully, looking Gilbert in the eyes.  
"I'm sorry papa, it was the dream again." he muttered.

Roderich moved closer to the boy, sympathy lining his eyes.  
"Do not fret little Aldrich; if it weren't for the fact that I love your father, I would have done that long ago." he smiled.  
"Please do not harm him papa." the boy spoke, still with his thick accent. Worry filled the look he gave Roderich. This child had seen far too much violence in his short lifetime.  
"Forgive me as I have spoken out of turn. I did not mean to upset you" Roderich mumbled, head bowed to the child. This was probably the loudest the boy has  
been since his arrival to their house in Vienna. Gilbert was still rocking the boy in his arms as Roderich wrapped his arms around the two.

"My little boy, this is the only place we need to be. Together. Your mother loves you dearly too, she just isn't home at the moment." Gilbert spoke as if addressing his son and his husband. "She is at work and wants you to know that all of this will be ok once we are all together, you cannot knock a good family after all."

  
"I will phone her, is there anything we need as I will probably pick her up." Roderich whispered to Gilbert.  
"No but get Aldrich some things." Roderich stood up from his kneeling state and nodded to Aldrich.  
"Now what would you like?" he smiled. The nature of the boy's past and simply having a son had softened the man. He was probably the only one to break Roderich's façade of frugality.  
"Something sweet, sorry if that is too much.." Aldrich gave a weak nod back.

"I will be back soon, I love you both."


	2. Chapter 2

"Isn't this such a dear sight." Elizabeta smiled upon seeing her husband still holding their child. She had recently been surprised by how having the boy had changed her husbands, one finally finding maturity and the other finding the back of his wallet.  Roderich dropped her hand with a smile and  gave Aldrich the sweets from the small bag on his back.  
"I know it isn't much but I thought it would make you feel a little better." Roderich chuckled at the boy's large smile.  
"Thank you papa, mama." tears still lined his eyes as he looked away "I love you all."

"But mama has something different for you!" Elizabeta walked over to the boy and hugged him tightly, producing a large stuffed bear from a bag at her side. "After what I heard happened earlier, I simply had to make it up to you for not being here!" she beamed, sitting beside her husband and the boy.

"He is beautiful." the boy whispered, with an immeasurable amount of gratitude for the parents who have taken him away.  Of all the things the family wanted, the main thing was keeping this boy with them. Of all the things the feared, the main thing was loosing him.

"Do you want to see uncle Ludwig tomorrow? Berwald and Peter will probably be there too" Gilbert asked, trying to escape the boy's reason for waking.  
"Of course papa" he looked to his socked feet "only if you are going too"  
"Hey... I wouldn't have asked if I was not willing to take you there. Plus, a visit to my little brother wouldn't be anything but long overdue."  
"And your mama will be there to keep papa in order" Roderich laughed, staring at both his husband and his wife. Although the three were not legally married, for obvious reasons, they refer to themselves as being so.  
"Anything to keep papa out of trouble" Aldrich smiled softly.  
"Would you like to sleep with us tonight, it may make the dreams go" Gilbert asked, gesturing to the three's room. Aldrich nodded and stood up from the small bed.  
"You are my brave little lion. Leib' dich"

"Now then, what would make you feel better dear boy?" Elizaveta asked, kneeling in front of her son.  
"What do you mean mama?" Aldrich asked, looking her in the eyes and then around the room.   
"A snack, or something. Would that make you feel better?" Gilbert suggested, taking the bear from Roderich and handing it to Aldrich.   
"Well, a snack would be good. But isn't it late?" Aldrich looked down at the small bear- it was a blue bear and, around its neck, had a dark purple bow.   
"I have a good idea! How about a cake?" Roderich exclaimed, but still in a low enough voice so that it didn't startle Aldrich.  
"Yes!" the boy nodded, looking at Roderich expectantly.  
"Let's prepare then" Roderich gave a nod to the others and made his way to the kitchen- his wife and husband following soon after.


	3. Chapter 3

"I am so sorry for not being here my dears" Elizaveta spoke as they walked from the room. Aldrich needed to sleep now, but they aren't concerned with that.   
"Did you even bother to ask him what he wanted?" Roderich questioned his husband, smirking at this forgetfulness.   
"Oh crap!" the white haired man exclaimed, walking back towards the room.  
"Forgetful, our husband is" Elizaveta chuckled, heading towards the kitchen.

*

"Hey Lion?" Gilbert questioned upon knocking the door. A faint sob came from behind the other side. The door was lightly opened from inside; this showing a sobbing boy looking upwards with stained red eyes.   
"Oh my son, you should have called us if you still felt bad!" he cried, sympathetically looking to the boy. Aldrich bowed his head and refused to look Gilbert in the eyes as he spoke  
"Forgive me for causing trouble" This was the only sentence he spoke in perfectly clear English- a lifetime of having to say it taking its toll on the words.  
"Please do not say sorry, it is not your fault that you were forced to go through such things. And I will never be mad at you for being upset. Takes a strong man to cry, y'know?" he spoke, tears now running down his cheeks as he scooped the boy up in his arms. "See? wanna know how long it took me to do that?" He pointed at his eyes "A hell of a long time, thats how long."

Aldrich smiled for the first time that day, as he was taken to the kitchen. Nothing could stop the boy from feeling these things, and remembering what happened in his past, but at least they can help.

"Here he is!" Gilbert announced, entering the kitchen with the barely-awake child in his arms.   
"Is a cake visit in order? What would you like, we'll make it." Roderich smiled, he was a good baker to be honest. It was probably one of the only thing he was actually good at.   
"I... I don't know, you pick." Aldrich mumbled, nodding Roderich with a hum.   
"The best of the best for my child then! Do we have the ingredients?" a wide eyed smile came from Roderich.  
"I have a good idea what you are going to do but I don't like it. Remember last time?" Elizaveta spoke with a mockingly cold tone. "You nearly burned the kitchen down making caramel." Gilbert added.  
"This is a special occasion and I won't burn anything. Again, only the best for my son!"   
"Why don't we go buy one Rod, less chance of the shop brought one setting on fire" Elizaveta spoke in such a serious manner, something which made Gilbert burst with laughter.

 


	4. Chapter 4

"The lights" Aldrich uttered in sheer amazement. They had just reached a small tunnel, that was lit up with round wall lights. "it's beautiful"   
"I know Aldrich, keep looking to them. They will always guide you home my boy" Roderich hummed, stroking Aldrich's hair. The boy looked up at Roderich with a smile   
"Thank you for being here" that was the last thing he spoke before falling asleep again.

"Is he asleep?" Gilbert asked in a voice just above a whisper.  
"Yes, he will wake soon anyway. If he doesn't, I'll stay here and you and Liz go to get the cake. I don't think I can go anywhere in this state" he smiled, looking down to the boy who had fallen asleep against him.  
"That's fine, as long as we know what you want from the shop."  
"I do, so it's fine" Elizaveta tapped Gilbert on the shoulder.

*  
The car grinded to a halt and Elizaveta and Gilbert got out.   
"We'll leave you for the moment, be back in a bit. Love you Roderich." Gilbert spoke before shutting the door, Elizaveta nodded, smiling to her husband. They then both walked towards the shop, without another word spoken- until they reached the door.

"Thank you for being there tonight. If it weren't for you and Rod, that could've gotten worse than it did. But you two, in your sheer incompetence, knew what to do. I love that about you both." she gave a sincere smile and entered the small bakery, Gilbert in tow.   
"What do you mean? Sheer incompetence, how rude!" he spoke in a mock- offended tone.  
"You know what I mean sweetie. you're incompetent but in an amazing way."


End file.
